The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced the 25 winners of the 2004-05 GeneralSports TURF Systems Athletics Director of the Year Award June 14, honoring Elon’s Alan White as the NCAA Division I-AA/I-AAA Southeast AD of the Year.
Elon trustee Jeanne Robertson, pictured here with White, was on hand for the award presentation. Robertson, a nationally-recognized humorist who delivered the address at Elon’s Commencement exercises May 21, was a keynote speaker at NACDA’s annual convention in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
“I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition and I appreciate the nomination from President Lambert and Southern Conference Commissioner Danny Morrison,” White said.
“Certainly, the true recognition for these honors goes to the university and the outstanding staff we have at Elon.”
White has led Elon through the evolution from an NAIA institution to NCAA Division II status to its current NCAA Division I affiliation with the Southern Conference. He just completed his 26th year as athletics director and 35th overall at Elon. During his tenure, White has led Elon to four national championships and 12 conference Excellence Awards, including eight consecutive, from 1990-97.
Additionally, Elon teams have captured 53 conference titles and produced more than 500 all-conference players. White has served as president of the NAIA Athletics Directors Association and the South Atlantic Conference. He directed a major renovation of the university’s primary athletics facility and construction of the track and field facility and a major athletics complex. The latter includes Elon’s first on-campus football stadium, which was designated as a 2003 Facility of Merit by Athletic Business.
Well-respected by his peers, White received the 1989 NAIA National Athletics Administrator of the Year Award, was named the NAIA District 26 Athletics Administrator of the Year five times and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1993. A former football student-athlete, White earned his bachelor’s degree at Wake Forest University, his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina and his doctorate from Mississippi State University. After returning to Elon in 1974, White served as an assistant professor and later as chair of the physical education department. He was named the institution’s director of athletics in 1979.
White and the other winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon Thursday, June 16 at NACDA’s 40th Anniversary Convention at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
NACDA Executive Director Mike Cleary says the award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to campuses and their surrounding communities.
“Our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year,” said Cleary. “The program brings to light the exceptional jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 25 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of outstanding athletics directors who excel at their jobs.”
All NACDA-member directors of athletics in the United States, Canada and Mexico who met the criteria were eligible for the award. Criteria includes service as an AD for a minimum of five years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments. Additionally, each AD’s institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body (i.e., NCAA, NAIA, etc.), in which the institution could not have been on probation or cited for a lack of institutional control within the last five years during the tenure of the current AD.
Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners. Special Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, present and past NCAA and NAIA presidents, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. A complete listing of Selection Committee members can be found on NACDA’s web site at www.nacda.com.
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